Make sure before you put the skins back on that you go out there and look for leaks in the rain. No matter how well you think you have sealed your trailer, you will find more leaks. Look for black streaks where water has run down the walls and caused mold to form. Any dents that are on the outside need to be take care of now. The can be pushed out. Aerowood has a dent roller that will help with this. You need to have the inner skin clean to use it though.

POR15 makes a putty that supposedly can fix cracks in fiberglass and then is sanded after it dries, but stays a tad flexible, so no re-cracking, and when it's painted there is no evidence of damage.

Everyone who has a vintage Airstream has signed up for the same set of challenges. Ripped belly pans, rusty frames, rotted floors, so you are right on track. Keep posting, I'm following and cheering you on and I promise that dazed feeling will mostly pass as you learn, but it never quite goes away.

I'll try to find that fiberglass epoxy thread.

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"Let's look Death in the face and say, 'Whatever man.'"
~ Hurley

Make sure before you put the skins back on that you go out there and look for leaks in the rain. No matter how well you think you have sealed your trailer, you will find more leaks. Look for black streaks where water has run down the walls and caused mold to form. Any dents that are on the outside need to be take care of now. The can be pushed out. Aerowood has a dent roller that will help with this. You need to have the inner skin clean to use it though.

I 2nd Perry on this suggestion. While the interior was removed, I sat in mine during a hurricane off the east coast. Definitely found more leaks that day. I caulked every interior seam and rivet location. Great progress!

Frame first floor next then seal and check for leaks stay on your schedule and it will all be good! Or is that my schedule? Heck I don't remember anymore just know that a couple of hundred more rivets and the shell is off! Got it braced!

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Gotta get busy! Have a great day! Now where did I put those revits?

I 2nd Perry on this suggestion. While the interior was removed, I sat in mine during a hurricane off the east coast. Definitely found more leaks that day. I caulked every interior seam and rivet location. Great progress!

Just to clarify, I did the seam and rivet sealing after redoing the frame/chassis, installing new sealed flooring and reattaching the shell to the frame/chassis.

Just picked up on this thread a couple days ago. Great job doing what it takes and posting. We bought our 1977, 25’ Tradewind in March, 2010 and worked weekends, evenings and a full week’s stacation to make it camp-ready by Thanksgiving, 2010. Replaced the tires just to get it home, 75 miles to Ft Myers, FL. Like you, I gutted it. The rear bath (and faulty water run-off design) caused significant wood rot in the rear. Ended up replacing four feet to meet a cross member and a little floor under the street-side window, in front of the door. Exposing the frame under the bath led to some new steel under the bumper. Decided then to replace both axles (Andy and Inland RV) with greater weight limits AND electric brakes. After that, it got fun. Replaced all the copper plumbing with plastic. Replaced the refrig, A/C, water heater (later) and stove with a 3-burner gas stove top and microwave/convection oven combo. Did NOT replace the bathroom. We only camp in state parks and campgrounds that have human-size showers and toilets. Instead, I built a platform for a queen-size bed (we like to sleep together) with storage underneath. Did NOT replace the furnace. We don’t camp in less than 25 degrees, so a little space heater, extra comforter and our dog is all we need. Replaced the huge Univolt system with something 1/5th the size and it regulates the battery charge when on shore power. Didn’t even hook-up the fresh water tank. We don’t go anywhere that doesn’t have water or somewhere we can buy it by the gallons. Bought cabinets from Ikea – perfect dimensions for ganging and stacking, and topped with custom fit aluminum counter tops. Replaced the futon up front with a custom made double-bench dinette with a fold-down table that converts into a double bed for guests. Replaced radio with modern AM/FM/CD/DVD player (inlcluding speakers) and added a HDTV on a swivel for viewing front & back. Kept the interior skin but had to clean, prime and paint. The flooring (easy install but gorgeous) is cork from Globus Cork. We’re very happy with the results – comfort, convenience and aesthetics. Couldn’t have done it without the resources on this board. These folks are amazing. People ask how I did it by myself. I say, “I had a lot of good advice.” Keep up the good work.

Just picked up on this thread a couple days ago. Great job doing what it takes and posting. We bought our 1977, 25&rsquo; Tradewind in March, 2010 and worked weekends, evenings and a full week&rsquo;s stacation to make it camp-ready by Thanksgiving, 2010. Replaced the tires just to get it home, 75 miles to Ft Myers, FL. Like you, I gutted it. The rear bath (and faulty water run-off design) caused significant wood rot in the rear. Ended up replacing four feet to meet a cross member and a little floor under the street-side window, in front of the door. Exposing the frame under the bath led to some new steel under the bumper. Decided then to replace both axles (Andy and Inland RV) with greater weight limits AND electric brakes.
After that, it got fun. Replaced all the copper plumbing with plastic. Replaced the refrig, A/C, water heater (later) and stove with a 3-burner gas stove top and microwave/convection oven combo. Did NOT replace the bathroom. We only camp in state parks and campgrounds that have human-size showers and toilets. Instead, I built a platform for a queen-size bed (we like to sleep together) with storage underneath. Did NOT replace the furnace. We don&rsquo;t camp in less than 25 degrees, so a little space heater, extra comforter and our dog is all we need. Replaced the huge Univolt system with something 1/5th the size and it regulates the battery charge when on shore power. Didn&rsquo;t even hook-up the fresh water tank. We don&rsquo;t go anywhere that doesn&rsquo;t have water or somewhere we can buy it by the gallons.
Bought cabinets from Ikea &ndash; perfect dimensions for ganging and stacking, and topped with custom fit aluminum counter tops. Replaced the futon up front with a custom made double-bench dinette with a fold-down table that converts into a double bed for guests. Replaced radio with modern AM/FM/CD/DVD player (inlcluding speakers) and added a HDTV on a swivel for viewing front & back. Kept the interior skin but had to clean, prime and paint. The flooring (easy install but gorgeous) is cork from Globus Cork.
We&rsquo;re very happy with the results &ndash; comfort, convenience and aesthetics. Couldn&rsquo;t have done it without the resources on this board. These folks are amazing. People ask how I did it by myself. I say, &ldquo;I had a lot of good advice.&rdquo; Keep up the good work.